Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation Director Ricky Gease announced today that much of Nancy Lake State Recreation Area has been re-opened to the public as a result of good progress made containing the Deshka Landing Fire. The state recreation area near Willow was closed last week due to danger posed by the fire, […]
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Part of Nancy Lake State Recreation Area re-opened to public
August 27, 2019 
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Hunters and campers take note: Mat-Su Borough burn closure includes large parts of Denali and Glenn highways
August 27, 2019 Comments Off on Hunters and campers take note: Mat-Su Borough burn closure includes large parts of Denali and Glenn highways
Hunters heading out to hunt along the Denali or Glenn highways need to be aware that a good portion of both highways are within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and there is an emergency, borough-wide burn closure currently in effect that prohibits all open burning, including campfires and the use of charcoal grills. The portion of the […]
Continue reading Extreme conditions extend Alaska wildfire season to September 30
August 26, 2019 Comments Off on Extreme conditions extend Alaska wildfire season to September 30
With several wildfires burning in Southcentral Alaska and high fire danger persisting due to continued warm, dry conditions, Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Corri Feige announced today that Alaska’s statutory wildfire season will be extended from August 31 to September 30. “Unprecedented fire risk conditions for the Southcentral and Kenai Peninsula regions and the ongoing […]
Continue readingSouthcentral smoke forecast for August 24
August 24, 2019 Comments Off on Southcentral smoke forecast for August 24
Special Statement The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an Air Quality Advisory in effect through Monday afternoon for the Susitna Valley, Kenai Peninsula, and now includes the Copper River Valley. Fire Southcentral Alaska is being impacted by the smoke from multiple wildfires in the surrounding area. A listing of activity for specific fires […]
Continue reading Hunting and public access to Willow Swamp area restricted due to Deshka Landing Fire
August 23, 2019 Comments Off on Hunting and public access to Willow Swamp area restricted due to Deshka Landing Fire
Due to the location of the Deshka Landing Fire and related firefighting activity, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has closed a portion of Game Management Unit 14A to hunting and the Department of Natural Resources has restricted all public access to State lands in the same area. The two agencies issued the closures […]
Continue readingDeshka Landing Fire 15% contained; size reduced by 700 acres due to better mapping
August 23, 2019 Comments Off on Deshka Landing Fire 15% contained; size reduced by 700 acres due to better mapping
As of Thursday evening, the Deshka Landing Fire is not significantly expanding. The estimated size of the fire has been reduced to 1,543 acres, a decrease of almost 700 acres. The reduced acreage is due to better mapping. The fire is 15% contained. No structures or private land have been involved. Approximately 165 firefighters and […]
Continue reading Southcentral Alaska smoke outlook for Aug. 22: Air quality advisory issued for Susitna Valley, Kenai Peninsula
August 22, 2019 Comments Off on Southcentral Alaska smoke outlook for Aug. 22: Air quality advisory issued for Susitna Valley, Kenai Peninsula
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an Air Quality Advisory in effect through Friday afternoon for the Susitna Valley and Kenai Peninsula. Southcentral Alaska is being impacted by the smoke from multiple wildfires in the surrounding area. A listing of activity for specific fires is available at: https://fire.ak.blm.gov/ Here is the smoke forecast […]
Continue reading Deshka Landing Fire 10 percent contained; community meeting tonight in Willow
August 22, 2019 Comments Off on Deshka Landing Fire 10 percent contained; community meeting tonight in Willow
The Deshka Landing Fire near Willow has not grown significantly in the last 48 hours and no structures or private land have been involved. The fire size remains estimated at 2,217 acres and the fire is 10 percent contained as of Thursday morning. Approximately 150 firefighters and support personnel are actively engaged in various tasks […]
Continue reading Firefighters report little growth on Deshka Landing Fire; containment at 5 percent
August 21, 2019 Comments Off on Firefighters report little growth on Deshka Landing Fire; containment at 5 percent
The Deshka Landing Fire has not grown significantly in the last 24 hours. The fire is currently estimated at 2,217 acres and is 5% contained. As of Wednesday morning, no structures have burned. The fire is creeping very slowly to the south and is approximately 1 mile from the north end of Red Shirt Lake. […]
Continue reading Division of Forestry issues emergency burn closure for Kenai Peninsula, Mat-Su Valley
August 21, 2019 Comments Off on Division of Forestry issues emergency burn closure for Kenai Peninsula, Mat-Su Valley
Due to extreme wildfire danger and current wildfire activity in Southcentral Alaska, as well as limited resources available to respond to new starts, the Alaska Division of Forestry is instituting an emergency burn closure on state, private, borough and municipal lands within the Kenai Peninsula and Matanuska-Susitna boroughs effective at 8:00 a.m. today, August 21, […]
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